Down the Rabbit Hole Names

Abijah

Hebrew

"God is my father"

Abijah is a truly unusual, truly unisex, truly appealing biblical name. There were several male Abijahs in the Bible, one of them, known as Abijah of Judah, was the fourth king of the House of David,…

Arroyo

Spanish surname and nature name

This name has two distinctive associations: the Southwestern natural formation of a gully or stream, and the Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Bronson Arroyo.

Kindred

English word name

"family; connectedness"

This unusual English word name and surname was the middle name of American sci-fi writer Philip K. Dick, after his mother's maiden name. Its striking sound and appealing meaning make it a promising…

Rainald

Rainald is a masculine name of Germanic origin, derived from the elements 'ragin' meaning 'counsel' or 'decision' and 'wald' meaning 'rule' or 'power.' This powerful combination suggests someone who…

Ehud

Hebrew

Biblical judge from the Old Testament.

Seifert

Seifert is primarily a German surname that occasionally appears as a masculine given name. Deriving from Middle High German, it combines elements meaning 'victory' and 'peace' or 'protection.' As a…

Bamboo

Word name

Bamboo is a plant name that you might want to save for the zoo's name-the-panda contest. It was used for a starbaby in 2000, though, the rapper Big Boi.

Striker

English word name

Striker is one of the new gang of boys' names that have two syllables, end in -er, spring from words, and have a macho, even aggressive meaning and image. Other examples include Breaker, Heller, and…

Nuriel

Hebrew

"light or fire of God"

The name of an angel in the Zohar, Nuriel is related to the Arabic name Nur.

Arnoux

Arnoux is a masculine name of French origin, derived from the Germanic name 'Arnold,' which combines elements meaning 'eagle' and 'power.' This distinctive variation maintains the noble connotations…

Carlitos

Carlitos is a masculine name of Spanish origin, functioning as the affectionate diminutive of Carlos (the Spanish form of Charles). The name derives from Germanic roots meaning 'free man' or 'manly.'…

Rad

English, Arabic

"advisor; red; cool, extremely good; thunder"

The cool and edgy Rad might just work as a fresh spin on the likes of Brad, Chad, Rod, and Randy. Used as a word to describe something exciting and extremely good, it's a synonym for cool, awesome,…

Ardent

Latin

"burning; enthusiastic, passionate"

Pei

Chinese surname

For admirers of modernist architect I. M.

Belshazzar

Hebrew

"Bel, protect the king"

Belshazzar was a Babylonian prince, a real historical figure who stars in a fictionalized tale Belshazzar's Feast , in the Book of Daniel

Egbert

Anglo-Saxon

"bright edge of a sword"

Egbert still suffers somewhat from being used as a stereotypical name for nerds and aristocrats. It would be a surprising choice, but with its edgy meaning and dusty charm, possibly it's so beyond…

Hamlet

Anglicized form of Danish, Amleth

The "To Be or Not to Be" jokes, via Shakespeare's tortured prince, will get old by Month Two.

Berthold

German

"bright strength"

One bright spot: famous namesake Threepenny Opera playwright Berthold (later known as Bertolt) Brecht.

Philibert

Philibert is a masculine name of Germanic origin, combining the elements 'fili' meaning 'lover' or 'friend' and 'berht' meaning 'bright' or 'famous,' thus conveying the meaning 'very bright one' or…

Obadiah

Hebrew

"servant of God"

For the seriously audacious biblical baby namer who wants to move beyond Elijah and Josiah, this name has considerable old-fangled charm. Obadiah, who gave his name to one of the shortest books in…